Adi Nebreid is a small historic town at a turning curve between other small towns of Adi Da’ero and Adi Hagerai. It is believed that the town was established in the early 1950s E.C. Located in Adiabo, the town is close to Emba Tsiwa, Adiabo’s highest mountain.
Adi Nebeid is home to influential people, including Major General Hayelom. Situated in a flat plateau, its proximity to the Mereb River has made it strategic for societal integration.
Adi Nebreid has three important historic landmarks: statues of Mj. Gen. Hayelom Araya and Sehul (Gessesse Ayele), and Stele of Bayto Seyemti Adiabo.
Hayelom’s statue is located in an elevated strategic plateau from which you can see the whole of Adiabo, the mountains of Welkait as far as east Sudan, southern and south eastern parts of Eritrea. You’ll also find a stele in a place where Sehul (Gessesse Ayele) was martyred.
In the fr north, some 5 kilometers, you’ll find a small stele, known as Bayto Seyemti Adiabo, erected by Ato Atsbeha, a scholar and developmental activist from the area, in remembrance of the 400 years old Adiabo Traditional Judiciary system (ባይቶ ሰየምቲ ኣድያቦ).
History has it on record that during the era of King Fasiledes of Gondar, strong community leaders and representatives were summoned to his palace to receive orders on how to resolve conflicts. The king passed such orders as ‘cut the hands of those who steal, kill those who kill, etc’. Representatives of Adiabo were among the crowd. They objected to the order, and set up their own traditional judiciary which ran for 400 years. The most respected community leaders are the judges and they have to be re-elected every 2 years.
Not long time ago, Adiabo, and hence Adi Nebreid, was a dense forest where there were thousands of wild animals. Now, its bare and deforested.
